Distance meter



17, was. B. E. HA ETAL 234mm DISTANCE METER Filed Feb. 28, 1946 2 Sheets-$helet 1 Inventors T Brice Z. filia /,0 Gee/ye M. Haekman I 11:1 1 42$ 34 5 TETE-ll Z9 Attorneys n s'mncn METER L A m P R A H S E 3 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 28, 1946 V Inv entors I]. Sharp rive v 'ea zye M Han/(mail:

Patented Aug. 17, 1948 rant ice DISTANCE: METER Brice; E. Sharp and George M. HackmamKnoxville, Tenn.; said Hackman assignor to said Sharp 7 Application February 28, 1946, Serial No. 650,926

4 Claims. 1

.Our invention relates to improvements in distance meters for measuring purposes in the performance of athletic stunts, and exercises, the primary object in view being to provide a simply constructed, inexpensive and accurate apparatus for measuring and giving a visible reading of distances accomplished in the performance of such stunts and exercises, and which will not injure one using thesame; is quick acting and will not readily get out of order.

Other and subordinate objects, also comprehended by our invention, together with the precise nature of our improvements and the mamfold advantages thereof, will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of our invention in a preferred embodiment thereof,

Figure 2 is a view in plan.

Figure 3 is a view in vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 and drawn to an enlarged scale,

Figure 4 is a view in vertical transverse sectiontaken on the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation of the lever arm contracted,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in plan of the lever arm, partly broken away and shown in section,

Figure 7 is a detailed view of the over-rotation brake,

' Figure 8 is a view in side elevation of the helmet and the safety connection thereon,

Figure 9 is a view in vertical section taken on the line 99 of Figure 8 and drawn to an enlarged scale,

Figure 10 is a view in front elevation of the height gauging plate, and

Figure '11 is a fragmentary view in vertical section taken on the line ll-II of Figure 3 and drawn to an enlarged scale.

' Reference being had to the drawings by numerals, our invention, as shown, comprises a base panel I, of rectangular form, with a super-structure arising therefrom including corner legs 2 converging'in pairs upwardly to a connector 3, the legs 2 preferably having the form'of pipes, the feet 4. suitably connected to the base panel I the connector 3 having the form of a pipe coupling. A pair of front and rear uprights 5', 6 arise from opposite sides of the connector 3 in laterally spaced parallel relation with lower ends connected to said connector 3 by elbow couplings l, 8 and a pair-of upper and lower, vertically spaced horizontal rods 9, II! connecting the upper end portions of'the same. An upright, rod-like frame H extends equidistantly from opposite sides of the front upright 5 and is suitably secured thereto. A similar frame l2 similarly extends from the rear upright doppos'ite to and parallel with the frame ll. Cross rods 13 connect the frames H, I2 at the corners thereof and at suitable points intermediate-said corners.

The super-structure described in the foregoing supports operating parts now to be described.

A horizontally disposed lever arm I4 is pivotally mounted adjacent to what constitutes the rear end thereof on the cross rod 9 for vertical swinging movement between the uprights 5, 6 and the frames ll, 12 and which is adapted to extend well beyond one side of said frames I I, I2. Preferably, the lever arm M comprises a pair of side by side sections l5, Hi, the latter slidable endwise on the former to extend or contract the overall length of the lever arm, asoccasion may require, for instance when the meter is in use or not in use. Forthis purpose,.the section I5 is longitudinally slotted as at IT, and bolts l8, with wing nuts l9 thereon are extended through the slot l1 and the section lisothat said section l5 may be set along the section 18 as desired.

The lever arm I4 is operatively connected adjacent the inner end thereof to one end of. a pawl carrying beam 20 pivotally mounted intermediate its ends for vertical rocking movement between the uprights 5, 6 and on a horizontal sleeve 2| journaled'adjacent one end in a bearing 22 provided on the upright 5 intermediate thetop and bottom of the frame ll. The operating connection between the lever arm Mand pawl carrying beam 20 comprises a link-23 having the yoke ends 24, 25 pivoted to said arm and beam as at 26,21.

The pawl carrying:arm 28 has pivoted'on. the opposite ends-thereof, as at 28, '29 apa'ir of oppositely disposed pawls 3i '3! springpressed, as at 32, 33 to engage a ratchet'wheel -34 fixed on the sleeve 21 alongside said'beam 20 by a collar 35 on the sleeve bolted to said wheel34, as at 3'6. Suitable spacing collars 31; 38 are provided between the ratchet wheel 34 and pawl carrying beam 20 and between said beam and a bearing 39 on the upright 6 having a purpose presently seen.

An indicating sweep arm Ml is fixed by a set screw Hon one end of the sleeve 2i and in-front of a dial .disc 32. fixed, as at, to the upright cal rocking movement alongside the ratchet wheel 34, between said wheel and the upright 5, and is provided with a pair of arcuate end shoes 4|i extending oppositely from the ends of the beam and circumferentially of said wheel 34 in spaced relation thereto. 2| between said beam 45 and the hub 22 main A set collar 4! on thesleeve.

tains said beam 45 in proper relation to the ratch! et wheel 34 and locks the sleeve 2| against endwisej-creeping ;forward-ly. At this point,; i-t may be explained that tostrengthen the sleeve 2|, a'shaft 48 is extended therethrough with one end keyed as at49 in the bearing 39. As will be seen, the spacing collars 31,38 and the pawl carrying beam prevent the sleeve 2| from creeping rearwardlyr A v The pawl disabling means 45 is designed to be set into different angular positions to interpose the shoes 46 between ,the teeth of the ratchet wheel 34 and the pawls 30, 3|, for a purpose presently seen. 'To this end, a stem-50 secured, as at 5|, to saidbeam 45 extends from one end thereof and outwardly from between one side of the frames H, H! with its oute end projecting through a Vertical slot 52 provided in a height indicating plate 53 suitably secured to appropri ate cross rods l3, said plate being suitably graduated'to indicate the height of persons operating themeter. A nut 54 on the stem 5|] operative for clamping engagement with said plate 53pmvides for maintaining the pawl disabling beam 4'5 in selected set positions. r v v Preferably the outer end of the'leverarm |-4 is provided with a depending operating bar formed of relatively slidable sections 55, 56 for extending or contracting the over-all length of said bar,.as desired,.said sections-55, 5'6 beingslidably connected together by suitable clamps 5! and the section55being pivoted to said lever arm |'4,'as at 58. A suitable waist strap 59 is suitably connected to'the lower end of the section 56 by a shackle '60.

In lieu of the described operating bar and waist strap 59, a helmet 5| may be used for operating said lever arm 14. The helmet 6| is adapted to be connected to the outer end of the lever arm M by means of a flexible short shaft section 65'. having a clip 63 on one end for pivoting, on said arm. At its other end, said shaft section 62 is provided with a yieldingly constructed clamp 64, of any suitable type, for engaging a stud 65 on the helmet GI and forming with said stud 65 a pull-apart connection.

A friction brake is provided for the ratchet wheel 34in the form of a spring pressed rod 65 slidably mounted in the upright E and provided with a friction. head 6i for engaging one side of the ratchet wheel 34.

The described friction plate is for the purpose of preventing over rotation of the ratchet wheel 34 when operated by the pawls 30. 3|.

The usual pivoted dog 58 tensioned by a suitably connected spring 69 is prov ded for preventing rotation of the ratchet wheel 34 in a direction reverse to that in which it is designed to be operated by the pawls 30, 3|.

The described invention is designed for use in operation in any kind of contest, or exercise, involving vertical body motion, or vertical limb motion, and especially jumping contests and exercises. It is not considered necessary to describe all the possible uses of the invention, the following'example of its use being deemed suflicient for a proper understanding of the invention. igDescribing now as an exemplifying use, and ,operation, of the invention, in vertical jumping, a person desiring to operate to measure a vertical jump-is attached to the lever arm I 4, with said arm substantially horizontal, either by the described lever arm'loperating bar and waist belt ig or by. thehelmet 6|. The ratchet wheel 34 is rotated, by hand, counterclockwise, as viewed infligllres 1 and 5, to rotate the sleeve 2| similarly and effect swinging'of the sweep arm 43 to indicate zero on the dial disc 42. The pawl disablingbeam .45 isthen set according to the height of the operator and by means of the stem 53 whichis moved into registration with the proper graduationgon .the height gauging plate 53. In this operation, the shoes 46 are rotated in between thepawls 39, 3| and the ratchet wheel 34 so thattheoperator may stoop or bend, withinv a given range, before jumping and then straighten up before the pawls 30,,3l can engage the ratchet wheel 34. As the operator rises above his height the lever arm I4 is swungc-ounterclockwise, the pawls 3| 3| caused to ride off the shoes 46.into engagement with the ratchet wheel 34 and to rotate said wheel counter-clockwise to thereby rotate-the sweep arm similarly and into registration with the proper graduation of the series 44 on the dial disc 42 so that the height of thejump is measured and a reading given. Obviously, when the operator descends, the pawls 3B, 3! will ride over the ratchet wheel 34 idly and-ride back onto the shoes 46.

. When the helmetSl is used, for instance in vertical jumping, the clamp 64 provides for releasing the helmet if the operator gets .off balance, this being a safety provision.

The operating bars, 55, 5B; and the waist strap or belt 59 may be used also in other exercises or contests involving vertical motion or limb motion, as will be clear.

The foregoing will, it is believed, sufifice to impart a clear understanding of our invention, without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In apparatus of the class described, a dial disk graduated in units of measurement of successively-increasing value, an indicator sweep arm operative over said disk around the axis thereof, a vertically rocking lever arm, means on'one end of said lever arm for attaching the body of a person thereto for operation of said lever arm by jumping movement of said person, and means for operatively connecting the other end .ofsaid lever arm to said sweep arm comprising a ratchet wheeL-and a rocking pawl carrying beam for rotating said wheel in one direction solely and to which said lever arm is operatively connected.

2. In apparatus of the class described, a dial disk graduated in units of measurement of successively increasing value, an indicator sweep arm operative over said disk around the axis thereof, a vertically rocking lever arm, means on one end of said lever arm for attaching the body of a person thereto for operation of said lever arm by jumping movement of said person, means for operatively connecting the other end of said lever arm to said sweep arm including a pawl and ratchet drive, and settable means to disable the pawl and ratchet drive in accordance with the height of the person until said person has moved upwardly a distance greater than such height.

3. In apparatus of the class described, a dial disk graduated in units of measurement of successively increasing value, an indicator sweep arm operative over said disk around the axis thereof, a vertically rocking lever arm, means on one end of said lever arm for attaching the body of a person thereto for operation of said lever arm by jumping movement of said person, and means for operatively connecting the other end of said lever arm to said sweep arm comprising a ratchet wheel, and a rocking pawl carrying beam for rotating said wheel in one direction solely and to which said lever arm is operatively connected, and settable means to disable the pawls on said beam at will.

4. In apparatus of the class described, a dial disk graduated in units of measurement of successively increasing value, an indicator sweep arm operative over said disk around the axis thereof, a vertically rocking lever arm, means on one end of said lever arm for attaching the body of a person thereto for operation of said lever arm by jumping movement of said person, and means for operatively connecting the other end of said lever arm to said sweep arm comprising a ratchet wheel, and a rocking pawl carrying beam for rotating said wheel in one direction solely and to which said lever arm is operatively connected, and settlable means to disable the pawls on said beam at will comprising a rocking member having shoes thereon adapted to be interposed between the pawls on said beam and said ratchet wheel.

BRICE E. SHARP.

GEORGE M. HACKMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,433,064 Brower Oct. 24, 1922 1,446,437 Barill Feb. 20, 1923 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 489,390 France Sept. 24, 1918 

